Toothpaste dispenser



23, 1957 J. B. PlLKiNGTON TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed April 19, 1955 INVENTOR.

A ftorne gs James 5 P/Mmg fan 7 BY I v-xoauu'zlam in W mu A mm M y 1957 J. B. PILKINGTON 7 2,793,792

TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER INVENTOR. Q James 5. P/Y/w'ng 20/7 BY nite States Patent TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER James B. PilkingtomGoldsboro, N. C.

Application April 19, 1955, Serial-N0. 502,369

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-191) This invention relates to improvements in material-dispensing devices and more particularly to ,ajpaste dispenser for use with cleaning implements, such as a toothbrush.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a paste dispenser for use With a toothbrush which carries its own supply of toothpaste, and will automaticallydispense the correct amount of paste directly on the bristles of the brush with a minimum amount of effort on the part of the user.

In carrying out the foregoing objects, this invention embodies among its features, a material dispensing means which includes a cleaning implement receiving pocket opening to one end thereof forthe receptionof a cleaning implement handle therein, a reservoir in the body or housing in which the pocket is formed, the reservoir .cjontaining the cleaning material or compound to be dispensed, means carried by the body or 'housing and operative within the reservoir to force the cleaning compound through a discharge opening ,provided at one end of the housing and opening .therethrough, and a dispensing tube carried by the body or housing for movement longitudinally thereof, said tube having a bore therein opening to one end thereof to-define a material-outlet'end adapted to register with the'discharge opening port of the reservoir when the tube is in its retracted position so asto receive material forced from'the reservoir, and material extruding means, in the form of a piston, disposed within the bore of the dispensing tube for movement longitudinally thereof, and the extruding means being movable in one direction under the influence of the material forced into the bore, means carried by the-piston and engageable with the tube as the dispenser is moved longitudinally outwardly from the housing or body so as to anchor the means at a predetermined location within the bore to cause extrusionof the material in the bore as the tube is retracted from its extended operative position to its retracted position wherein the material extruding opening is again .in register with the discharge opening'of the reservoir.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent froma considerationof the following detailed description, forming the specification, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a medial, longitudinal, vertical cross sectional view taken through .a toothpaste dispenser inaccordance with the present invention, showing a toothbrush connected therewith;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure l and looking in the directionof the arrows;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction .of the arrows;

Figure 5 is an end view looking to the left in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view, partially broken 2,793,792 Ratented May 28, 1957 away to show interior-construction, showing the dispensing tube in itsextended position;

Figure 7 is aview similar to Figure :6 but showing the dispensing tube partially extracted toward the retracted position shown in Figure 1; and

Figure-8 is a-toptiplan -view:ofI-Figure '1.

With continued reference to the drawings, there :is shown a dispensing device, generally indicated at 10, embodying this invention. The device comprises an elongated body, ,generallyindicated at 12, having :a'longitudinal bore 11 therein opening through its rear end '14 to define a reservoir *16. An eccentric discharge ,passage 18 of smaller diameter than .the reservoir 16 curves laterally and opens through a-ledge 20 formed on :theforward end 22 of vthe body 12 to define a discharge port for the reservoir '16.

A plug 24 closes the-open rear .end of the reservoir 16. The plug 24 is provided 'with:a central opening l26ltherethrough to rotatably receive and form a bearing support for the smooth-outer end .28 of a threaded rod 30 extending longitudinally within the reservoir 16. A piston 32 is threaded on the rod 30 within the reservoir 16 so as to form a relatively tight fit with the interior surface of the reservoir-and to be;movable,along the rod 30 .uponrotation of the rod frornone end of the reservoir toward and away from the other end thereof. A knurled knob 34 is secured :onto the rearwardly;projecting :portion .of the rod -30, as byaset screw '36, =SOihat ,-upon:rotation of theknob, the rod'wil be rotated about its longitudinalaxis and cause the :piston 32 totravel therealong. A filling opening 38 ,is provided through one side 40 0f the :body 12 tandopens into the reservoir 16. A threaded closure ;-plug 42 is .threadinglyengaged in .the opening 38 :soas to beremovable therefrom.

The body v12 also includes 'a longitudinally extending socket 44 opening through its forward 'end 22 to receive the handle portion 46 of a cleaning implement, generally designated 48, such as a toothbrush, with its bristle :50 extending crosswiseof the body .1'2 and spaced forwardly from the forward end '22-of the body .12.

A dispenser, ,generally designated '52, comprises :a rectangular :cross section .dispensing tube 54 slidably mounted within'a rectangular cross section here 56 opening through the opposite'end's 14 and 22 ref .the body at the opposite side of the reservoir 16 from the socket 44, and having its longitudinal iaxis parallel 'to the longitudinal axisof the reservoir ,16.

The dispensing -tube 54 is slidable longitudinally in the bore 56 from a retracted position, shown in Figure l, to an extended operative position, shown in .Figure 6, wherein the tube extends forwardly beyond the forward end 22 of-the body in overlying'relation tothe bristles 50 of the cleaning implement '48.

The side 58 of :the body 12is provided with 'a central longitudinal slot 60 opening through the rear end 14 thereof, and opening into the bore 56. A thumb piece 62 on the 'reariend :Of the dispensing tube 54 projects laterally outwardly'throlugh the slot 60. A laterally inwardly curved terminal 64 is provided on the forward end :of the tube 54. The outer surface of the thumb piece 64 is preferably ridged, as at 68, to provide a nonslip surface for the thumb of .a -user for moving the .disp'ensing-tube in the 'bore '56.

Apiston 72 is :disposed Within'the bore 72 of the .dispensing tube "54 for movement longitudinally therein. A piston rod 73 extends rearlwardly from the piston "70 and preferably ais' made of spring :metalmaterial. The-rod 73 is provided on its rear end with an enlarged laterally .projecting :latch piece '74.

The latch piece 714 is formed :at :its outer end with a projection 76 and with an oblique cam surface 78 extending between the projection 76 and the rod 73 at the side of the piece 74 facing the piston 70, as shown in Figure 1.

The projection 76 and the cam surface 78 project through a longitudinal slot 80 in the adjacent side of the dispensing tube 54 and can be in the bore 72.

In use, the reservoir 16 is filled through the inlet opening 38 with the desired cleaning material, such as toothpaste, after which the plug 42 is used to close the opening 38 with the piston 32 in the retracted position shown in Figure 1, and with the dispensing tube 54 in its retracted position, as shown in Figure 1. The knob 34 is then rotated so as to move the piston 52 along the threaded rod 30 toward the forward end of the body 12. This forces the material in the reservoir through the discharge passage 18 and out of the discharge port 19. The material forced through the port 19 is received in the registering open end of the dispensing tube terminal 64, and this forces the piston 70 rearwardly toward the thumb piece 68 from the solid line position shown in Figure l to the broken line position shown in the same figure. Thus the bore 72 of the dispensing tube is filled with toothpaste.

The thumb piece 68 is then moved forwardly so as to move the dispensing tube to its extended position, as shown in Figure 6, wherein it extends longitudinally outwardly from the forwardend 22 of the body 12. In this extended position, it will be seen that the cam surface 78 will have been engaged by the closed forward end 82 of the slot 60 and the projection 76 thereby forced beneath the outer wall 58 of the bore 56 so that the catch 78 rode thereunder and then, due to the inherent springiness of the rod 73, the projection was sprung upwardly into the catch opening 84, provided in the wall 58, so as to lock the dispensing tube 54 in its extended position, as clear ly shown in Figure 6.

When the dispensing tube 54 is moved rearwardly from its extended position toward its retracted position, the piston 70 remains stationary and the material in the bore 72 is caused to be extruded through the terminal 64 onto the bristles 50 of the associated cleaning implement or toothbrush 48, as shown in Figure 7. As the tube 54 is further retracted, the piston 70 will reach the entrance of the curved terminal 64 and be prevented from further forward longitudinal movement within the bore 72, and the curved rear surface 79 of the catch 76 will cause the catch to ride out of the catch opening 84 and move heneath the outer wall 58 and then spring out into the slot 80 and the slot 60, thereby permitting further rearward movement of the piston, and its piston rod, along the bore 72 to its retracted position wherein the open end of the terminal 64 is again in registry with the outlet port 19 of the discharge passage 18, as shown in Figure 1.

In order to again use the dispensing device, it is merely necessary to again rotate the knob 34 so as to force the material within the reservoir 60 into the tube bore 72 and repeat the movement of the dispensing tube from its retracted to its extended position and return to the retracted position.

It will also be apparent that due to the friction fit of the handle 51 of the implement 48 in the socket 44, it will be a simple matter to replace the implement as desired or necessary.

After the paste material 86 has been placed on the bristles 50, and the dispensing tube 54 returned to its retracted position, the body 12 of the dispensing device may then be used as a handle in applying the bristles and paste to the object to be cleaned. In the present illustration, the toothbrush bristles 50 with the paste 86 thereon will be apiplied against the teeth of the user in the normal way, with the users hand employing the device as the handle therefor.

While there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible to change and modification within the practicability of the invention and therefore should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispenser, an elongated body having forward and rear ends, said body having a first longitudinal bore and a second longitudinal bore alongside of said first bore, said second bore having a forward end opening through the forward end of said body, a dispensing tube having a rear end slidably engaged in said second bore through its forward end, said dispensing tube having a forward end, means for moving said dispensing tube endwise in said second bore from a rearward retracted position to a for ward dispensing position in which the forward end of the dispensing tube is spaced forwardly from the forward end of the body, the dispensing tube having a longitudinal bore having a forward end portion opening through the side of the dispensing tube adjacent to said first longitudinal bore, said first longitudinal bore having a forward end portion opening laterally through the forward end of the body, the openings of the forward end portion of the first and second bores being in facing relation and being registered and in communication with each other only in the retracted position of the dispensing tube, means for transferring paste from said first bore into the forward end of said second bore only in the retracted position of the dispensing tube, and piston means in the bore of said dispensing tube for discharging paste through the opening of the forward end portion of the dispensing tube bore only while the dispensing tube is in its forward dispensing position.

2. In a dispenser, an elongated body having forward and rear ends, said body having a first longitudinal bore and a second longitudinal bore alongside of said first bore, said second bore having a forward end opening through the forward end of said body, a dispensing tube having a rear end slidably engaged in said second bore through its forward end, said dispensing tube having a forward end, means for moving said dispensing tube endwise in said second bore from a rearward retracted position to a forward dispensing position in which the forward end of the dispensing tube is spaced forwardly from the forward end of the body, the dispensing tube having a longitudinal bore having a forward end portion opening through the side of the dispensing tube adjacent to said first longitudinal bore, said first longitudinal bore having a forward end portion opening laterally through the forward end of the body, the openings of the forward end portion of the first and second bores being in facing relation and being registered and in communication with each other only in the retracted position of the dispensing tube, means for transferring paste from said first bore into the forward end of said second bore only in the retracted position of the dispensing tube, and piston means in the bore of said dispensing tube for discharging paste through the opening of the forward end portion of the dispensing tube bore only while the dispensing tube is in its forward dispensing position, and means on said body for holding a brush with the head of the brush positioned forwardly of the forward end of the body for receiving paste discharged from the forward end of the dispensing tube only in the dispensing position of the dispensing tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 965,309 MacDonald July 26, 1910 1,098,008 Ash May 26, 1914 1,688,512 Walker Oct. 23, 1928 1,720,874 Zerk July 16, 1929 1,926,495 Parker Sept. 12, 1933 2,000,910 Appel et al May 14, 1935 2,118,373 Creveling May 24, 1938 

